Bumper day of rugby around Wellington tomorrow

Above: Tough knocks. Both Poneke and Norths will be hoping to beat Paremata-Plimmerton and Wellington respectively tomorrow to keep in touch of the leaders at the mid-point of the Swindale Shield first round competition.

The Swindale Shield is rapidly approaching the mid-point of the season, and already some teams have made a break on the field while it’s also becoming catch-up time for others. The cold snap of weather this week might alter some game plans, while also providing a test for the hardiest of supporters.

Premier Swindale Shield

The highest profile clash of the day is at the Hutt Rec with Hutt Old Boys Marist at home at The Nest for the first time this season for the visit of Petone and the annual McBain Shield clash. The Eagles sit third on the ladder with four wins from four and having removed the Upper Hutt Rams from the ranks of the unbeaten last week, taking the Bill Brien Challenge Cup with them back down the valley as well. Petone are mid-table having alternated wins and losses, and come in on the back of their home defeat to MSP; but are the current holders of the McBain Shield after overturning a 3-14 halftime deficit to prevail 20-19 at home last year.

The McBain Shield is named for Alexander McBain, who became a Life Member of the Hutt club and served as WRFU Vice-President. It was donated by his son Hec and Captain TE Bevan for competition between Hutt and Petone, with the Hutt side of the rivalry carried on by successor clubs Hutt Old Boys from 1967 and since 1993 by Hutt Old Boys Marist.

Marist St Pat’s maintained their lead with their win last week at Petone, and return home to Evans Bay Park for the first time this year after playing their previous home game across the road on Kilbirnie. The visitors are Wainuiomata, who dropped their first game of the year against Ories. They’ll want to repeat their 26-13 Jubilee Cup semifinal win, while MSP will be after the 16-13 Jubilee Cup round-robin result in their favour; the Swindale Shield match was a 30-all draw on the night before Good Friday at Porirua Park.

Tawa are at home for the second successive week where they’ll host Old Boys-University. Both sides turned on the points in the first half of their matches last week and if they bring the same attacking intent there could be plenty scored in this one too. A win for the hosts will at worst see them keep pace, while a Goats win will be very handy for them in the weeks ahead, particularly as they are set to lose several players to the NZ U20 and University teams. OBU won both matches between the sides last year, the 16-14 Swindale result put Tawa into the winner-takes-all clash with MSP, while they were the victors at Lyndhurst in the Jubilee Cup by 26-23.

Three matches feature those clustered in the middle of the table. The fifth-placed Upper Hutt Rams make the journey down to Miramar to take on Oriental-Rongotai at the Polo Grounds. The Rams lost their unbeaten record, and the Bill Brien Challenge Cup, when beaten by HOBM and will look to get back on track here. That won’t be an easy task with the Magpies finding their mojo the past two weeks. The Rams won the Swindale encounter last year by 39-29, before Ories turned the tables in the Jubilee Cup winning 40-10.

Wellington make the trip to Porirua for the second time in a week, this time to Porirua Park where they’ll face Norths. The Axemen accounted for Paremata-Plimmerton, and will look to do the double over the northern clubs. Norths have found something resembling their stride, claiming their first win last week. The winner of this one could take a decent step towards making the Jubilee Cup. Wellington will need to overcome recent history though with Norths winning both matches last year; 29-20 in the Swindale and 42-21 in the Hardham Cup.

Poneke’s promising early form has deserted them in the past two weeks with back-to-back losses, but have the chance to find it again when they host Paremata-Plimmerton at Kilbirnie Park. The Swindale newcomers put up a strong fight against the Rams, but were disappointing on their Old Timers’ Day and will look for redemption, while Poneke cannot afford a slip up and will look to bank maximum points. The two sides met once last year, with Poneke prevailing 29-17 in the Hardham Cup.

Finally, two sides at the bottom end of table clash at Fraser Park with one to notch their first win, barring an unlikely draw. Avalon and Johnsonville were both on the end of maulings last weekend and each desperately need the boost of confidence a win would provide. Avalon won their Hardham Cup meeting 34-16 last year, a week after lifting the Harper Lock Shield.

All Premier matches kickoff at 2.00 pm

Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield

Following their thumping win over Avalon, Tawa head the table, having recorded four bonus-point wins to open their account, and face mid-table OBU in the early game at Lyndhurst. Wainuiomata sit second and are the only other unbeaten side following their high-scoring draw with Ories, and travel to Martin Luckie Park to face MSP in a 12.00 pm kickoff. Of the one-loss sides Petone play HOBM in the McBain curtain-raiser, Poneke host winless Paremata-Plimmerton, and Norths and Wellington clash on the #2 ground at Porirua Park. The other matches have Ories hosting the Upper Hutt Rams at the Polo Ground, while either bottom-side Avalon or Johnsonville should notch their first wins in the early game at Fraser Park.

Colts Division 1 Paris Memorial Trophy

There’s only one match-up of sides that won their opening match last weekend, and that is between Norths and Wellington ‘A’ on the #3 ground at Porirua Park in a 12.15 pm kickoff. There are 12.00 pm starts for defending champions OBU Green at Kilbirnie Park against Poneke, HOBM and Petone ‘A’ at Trentham Memorial Park, and MSP and Wainuiomata at Martin Luckie. Oriental-Rongotai and the Upper Hutt Rams ‘A’ side clash on the #2 ground at Polo at 2pm.

Women’s Premier Fleurs Trophy

The feature clash of the second round of women’s action is at the Polo Ground, with Oriental-Rongotai hosting the visit of Wainuiomata with both sides having won their opening match. Elsewhere Poneke have their first run for the year when they travel to Onepoto to face Norths, Tawa are at home to Hutt Old Boys Marist, and Old Boys-University are at Helston against Johnsonville with Avalon having the bye. All Women’s matches remain 11.30 am kickoffs.

First Grade Thompson Memorial Trophy

The second round is highlighted by the 12.15 pm clash at Delaney Park between hosts Stokes Valley and HOBM, both off opening day wins. OBU and Norths meet at Nairnville at the same time, while there 2.00 pm fixtures for Poneke against the Petone Brotherhood at Kilbirnie, and Tawa and Petone ‘A’ at Redwood. The remaining match is between the two MSP sides at the St Pats Artificial at 1.30 pm

Under 85kg Division 1 JC Bowl

Three of the four second round matches are 12.15 pm kickoffs. The OBU Bunnies take on the Tawa Titans at Te Whaea, the Upper Hutt Rams and Eastbourne meet at Maidstone, and Wellington hosts Avalon at Hataitai Park. The fourth fixture is at the St Pats Artificial at 3.30 pm between the MSP Reds and Kapiti with the Centurions RFU challenge Cup at stake; this trophy having been passed onto the Reds to start the season with the holders MSP Blues in hiatus. The Poneke Cavs have the bye.

College 1st XV

Three of the region’s top 1st XV’s are also in action. Wellington College are up against well-performed co-ed Feilding High School at 10.30am on the College artificial, St Pats Silverstream have their annual preseason match against Auckland’s St Kentigern’s at the school with an 11.00 am kickoff, and St Pats Town take on Christchurch’s St Bede’s on Kilbirnie #3 at 2.00 pm.